S-CHIP Required Reading

[mithrilG60]

I could very well be wrong, to be honest I've never given SCHIP more than a passing interest as it doesn't affect me one way or the other.

I recognize the sarcasm, but you're right it is wonderful. It's wonderful to not have to go tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars into debt just to save your life just because you were unlucky enough to be in a car accident or develop some rare disease, etc. It's wonderful not to have your doctor recommending procedures more because they line his pocket and less because they are required for your health. It's wonderful not to have to ask permission of some faceless corporate entity if their profit margin this month allows you to have a procedure required to save or improve your quality of life. No universal access to health care is a basic human right in the all of the developed world.... I'm left to wonder why the US joined the developed world yet?

[groogs]

The whole SCHIP thing really depresses me.

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

No universal access to health care is a basic human right in the all of the developed world.... I'm left to wonder why the US joined the developed world yet?

Heart transplants, liposuction, knee replacements, and elective health care is a human right?

In the US, Federal law gives everyone the right to emergency care, regardless of your ability to pay. The law entitles you to three things: screening, emergency care and appropriate transfers. A hospital must provide "stabilizing care" for a patient with an emergency medical condition. The hospital must screen for the emergency and provide the care without inquiring about your ability to pay. Hospitals cannot transfer patients until their condition has been stabilized. So in an emergency everyone has equal access to care. If its not an emergency, there are plenty of free clinics and reduced cost facilities around. My daughter chooses to not have insurance against her mothers and I advice. A year ago she needed a procedure done that was going to cost well over a grand. She did some checking around, filled out some papers waited a few months (not life threatening) and got it done for 2 payments of $159. All legal, performed by the same facility that said it was over a grand months earlier.

Chas

[macpappy]

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

I could very well be wrong, to be honest I've never given SCHIP more than a passing interest as it doesn't affect me one way or the other.

I recognize the sarcasm, but you're right it is wonderful. It's wonderful to not have to go tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars into debt just to save your life just because you were unlucky enough to be in a car accident or develop some rare disease, etc. It's wonderful not to have your doctor recommending procedures more because they line his pocket and less because they are required for your health. It's wonderful not to have to ask permission of some faceless corporate entity if their profit margin this month allows you to have a procedure required to save or improve your quality of life. No universal access to health care is a basic human right in the all of the developed world.... I'm left to wonder why the US joined the developed world yet?

I think we'll just agree to disagree on the health care thing. I've talked to other friends from Canada and they think the "universal health care" is a disaster and tell me horror stories about problems they have had. So you haven't had their problems and the system has been good for you. That great.

I also can't really say I've seen the problems you attribute to the United States medical system either because even though I was in a bad car accident that lead to me having back surgery, I didn't have any of those problems. But that is probably because I'm a military retiree and one of the benefits of surviving 21 years of active duty is I have access to health care with very reasonable co-pays. That being said, my daughter-in-law is a doctor (general practice) and she has to fight with insurance companies on behalf of her patients and not because she's "lining her pockets." In fact the hospital she is associated with has just canned a doctor for that type of behavior.

[Sr Mike]

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

I recognize the sarcasm, but you're right it is wonderful. It's wonderful to not have to go tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars into debt just to save your life just because you were unlucky enough to be in a car accident or develop some rare disease, etc. It's wonderful not to have your doctor recommending procedures more because they line his pocket and less because they are required for your health. It's wonderful not to have to ask permission of some faceless corporate entity if their profit margin this month allows you to have a procedure required to save or improve your quality of life. No universal access to health care is a basic human right in the all of the developed world.... I'm left to wonder why the US joined the developed world yet?

Wow, no sarcasm in your post at all. It is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about.

[Buena Fortuna]

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

I could very well be wrong, to be honest I've never given SCHIP more than a passing interest as it doesn't affect me one way or the other.

I recognize the sarcasm, but you're right it is wonderful. It's wonderful to not have to go tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars into debt just to save your life just because you were unlucky enough to be in a car accident or develop some rare disease, etc. It's wonderful not to have your doctor recommending procedures more because they line his pocket and less because they are required for your health. It's wonderful not to have to ask permission of some faceless corporate entity if their profit margin this month allows you to have a procedure required to save or improve your quality of life. No universal access to health care is a basic human right in the all of the developed world.... I'm left to wonder why the US joined the developed world yet?

I've worked in health care for over 25 years in Michigan. If Canada's universal health care is so great, why are our hospitals in Detroit and Port Huron filled up to 20% with Canadian patients who either can't access health care they need or can't wait for bureaucratic red tape delays???